Part II - FSN Network
MODULE FOUR
GENDER TRAINING
This module provides training tools to promote a better understanding of gender within the organization. It also aims to build skills of participants in incorporating gender in programming issues and our organizational culture.
The activities and exercises are arranged in a way that encourages participants to go through a process, whereby they first reflect on their own personal experiences and observations. Then they link these reflections to what they see and observe in their programs. Therefore, the idea is to impart knowledge and skills, starting from a basic level and moving on to more complex and thought provoking issues.
This module has been designed based on the Indian context and primarily for CARE staff. This module can also be found as part of a recently published gender manual for CARE India. However, these activities could be adapted to the training needs of a wider audience.
Note: Module Four has a Participant Workbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sample Agenda For One Day Session………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….164
Activity 2: Goals and outline of the training 166
Activity 3: Beginning to understand gender: What is gender? How is it different from sex? 167
Activity 4: Gender division of articles, activities and roles 169
Activity 5: Gendered behaviours and their consequences 171
Activity 6: Gender stereotypes: feminine and masculine qualities 173
Activity 7: Consequences of male/female stereotypes 175
Activity 8: Pressures and privileges of being a man/woman 177
Activity 9: Self-disclosure of male/female roles 179
Activity 10: The story of a queen and king 180
Activity 11: Gender discrimination: unfolding personal stories and experiences of gender discrimination 182
Activity 12: Understanding gender-based violence 185
Activity 13: Myths about violence against women. 186
Activity 14: Understanding discriminatory practices that accord a subordinate status to women and its linkage to patriarchy 188
Activity 15: Gendered institutions and structures: role of traditional and modern media 190
Activity 16: Role of culture and religion 192
Activity 17: Role of formal educational, political, economic and development institutions 194
Activity 18: Changing gender constructs: changing gender stereotypes and roles 195
Activity 19: Personal experiences of self-assertion 196
Activity 20: The wheel of equality 197
Sample Agenda
This is an illustrative agenda with estimated time-frames. You are encouraged to select the activities that most meet your needs.
Day I - Activities
Welcome and Introductions 9am – 9:20am
Goals and outline of the training 9:20 – 9:30am
Beginning to understand gender 9:30am – 10am
Gender division of articles, activities and roles 10:00 – 10:30am
Break
Gender behaviors and their consequences 10:45 - 11:45am
Gender Stereotypes 11:45 -12:45pm
Break 12:45 – 1:30pm
Consequences of stereotypes 1:30 – 2:15pm
Pressures and privileges of being a woman/man 2:15 – 3:00pm
Break
Self-disclosure of male/female roles 3:15 – 4:15pm
The story of a queen and king 4:15- 5:00pm
Closing and reflection on the day 5:00 – 5:30pm
Day II - Activities
Reflection on the previous day 9 – 9:20am
Gender discrimination 9:20 – 10am
Understanding gender-based violence 10 – 10:30am
Break
Myths about violence against women 10:45-11:45am
Role of culture and religion 11:45-12:45pm
Break
Role of institutions 1:30 – 2:15pm
Changing gender constructs 2:15 – 3:15pm
Break
The Wheel of Equality 3:30 -4:15pm
Personal experiences of self-assertion 4:15 -5:00pm
Closing and reflection of the two days 5:00 – 5:30
Activity 1: Welcome and Introduction
Purpose To welcome participants to the training. To allow facilitators to introduce themselves and get to know the participants.
Instructions
1. Welcome participants to the training and introduce yourself to the group. This should be kept very brief since you will also participate in icebreakers and other exercises. You will have an opportunity to say more about yourself then.
2. Ask each participant to introduce his/her name by simply adding an adjective before their name that begins with the same letter, before they disclose the name of their organization and designation. You can begin by introducing yourself in the manner that you want to participants to follow.
For example:
“I am serious Surinder. I work in “X” as a Training Coordinator.”
“I am mischievous Meena. I work in “Y” as a Project Manager.”
“I am lively Leena. I work in “Z” as a Technical Specialist.”
This can be done when seated, but becomes more fun and active if the participants are standing in a circle. Each participant moves into the circle while introducing himself/herself.
Facilitator’s Tips:
There is no need for debriefing after this exercise. It can serve as a reference point for the remainder of the training workshop. The participants will remember each other’s amusing adjectives. Most importantly, an atmosphere of informality is established.
Activity 2: Goals and outline of the training
Purpose To outline the training and share the goals. To convey the workshop schedule clearly - breaks, lunch, and closure timings. To ensure people are aware of administrative arrangements and other housekeeping details.
Instructions
1. Present the goals on prepared flipcharts or overheads.
2. Share the agenda of the training with the participants. Each participant should be given a copy of the agenda. Ask them to review it briefly and ask for clarifications, if any.
3. Ask for volunteers to record the workshop sessions and give feedback at the end of the day to the facilitator. In addition, ask for volunteers who could be the ‘eyes’ and ‘ears’ to report on the unofficial remarks and comments of the participants. They could play a key role in determining the level of interest and involvement of participants in the workshop. They could also highlight which sessions were not well received or understood fully by the participants.
4. Distribute the workshop hand outs and review the logistics for the day.
Facilitator’s Tips
If handouts are not possible, put the details of the logistics on the flip chart and review it with the participants.
Activity 3: Beginning to understand Gender: What is gender? How is it different from sex?
Purpose To enable the participants to reflect on their understandings of sex and gender and to increase the comfort level of the participants with these issues.
Instructions
1. Ask the participants to give their understanding of the differences between sex and gender. Summarize the responses of the participants to include the following significant differences between sex and gender.
|SEX |GENDER |
|Biologically determined |Constructed by society |
|Universal for all human beings |Multi-faceted: differ within and between cultures and across geography, |
| |climate, etc |
|Unchanging |Dynamic, changes over time |
2. Distribute the cards with the following statements on men and women to some participants. Ask them to read these aloud, one by one.
• Women give birth to babies, men don’t.
• Care of babies is the responsibility of women because they can breast feed them.
• Men have moustaches.
• Women cannot carry heavy loads.
• Women are scared of working outside their homes at night.
• Men’s voices break at puberty, women’s don’t.
• Women are emotional and men are rational.
• Most of the women have long hair and men have short hair.
• Most scientists are men.
• Cooking comes naturally to women
3. Ask the participants to decide which statement denotes characteristics/ behaviors based on sex and which are socially constructed. Request them to explain why they think so.
Facilitator’s Tips
Explain to the group that these statements were meant only to generate a discussion around how society promotes images of men and women, which result in gender biases and images. Also explain why understanding the difference between sex and gender is critical for development work. It helps us understand that the cause of inequity between men and women is not their biological characteristics, but socially constructed attributes of men and women. However, make sure that you do not undermine the significance of biological differences between men and women and treat them as less significant. Some physical differences do require different treatment.
Activity 4: Gender division of articles, activities and roles
Purpose To understand how articles/activities are representative of gender division of roles.
Instructions
1. Draw out a list of common articles, roles and activities. Put up the face of a man at one end of the room and a face of a woman at the other end.
2. Call out the name of each article, role or activity from the list and ask participants to take their position whether it belongs to a man or a woman.
Some of these articles, activities and roles could be:
|Articles |Activities |Roles |
|Broom |Sewing |Chef |
|Car keys |Cooking |Tailor |
|Saree |Washing Clothes |Farmer |
|Rolling-pin |Reading newspaper |Housewife |
|Screw-driver |Breast-feeding babies |Breadwinner |
|Hammer |Bathing children |Nurse |
|Stove |Fixing the electric bulb |Mother |
|Tie |Knitting sweaters |Barber |
|Lipstick |Driving |Politician |
|Briefcase |Sweeping |Head of the family |
3. Discuss the responses of the participants.
• Why do we associate certain articles/activities/roles with women, and some with men?
• Which of the activities above have any biological basis?
• Which activities do not have any biological basis and yet are performed by either men or women only? For example, are women born with cooking skills? Are men “naturally” better at repairing and handling electrical gadgets?
• Is there a hierarchy in roles? Do roles extend into public spaces?
• What happens when economic value is attached to an activity/role?
Facilitator’s Tips
The intention behind this exercise is to reveal how our association with articles and activities is reflective of gender. Also, we see how it could be different in different socio-cultural contexts. Discuss the different hierarchy and value attached to these and how men accept/assume these roles when an economic value is attached to them.
Activity 5: Gendered behaviours and their consequences
Purpose To help participants identify and understand the differential behavioral norms ascribed to men and women. To identify sources that influence and reinforce these behaviors and their consequences.
Instructions
1. Divide the participants into groups of five. Each group gets to enact one of the following.
• How would a bride/bridegroom behave on their wedding day?
• How would a young woman/man walk through the busy market after dark?
• How would a woman/man laugh in a gathering?
• How would a woman/man show anger?
• How would a woman/man show pain?
2. After all the groups have had a chance to enact their situations, discuss the following questions in a large group:
• Do you find women and men behaving differently in these situations? Why?
• How and where are these behaviors learned?
• At what stages of our lives do we learn these behaviors?
• What impact do these norms have on the lives of men and women?
Facilitator’s Tips
Socialisation is a process of informal education, which imparts certain values, attitudes, and behavioural codes to individuals. These behavioural codes are different for men and women. They often put greater restrictions on the freedom of choice, expression and movement for women in comparison to men in most societies. Socialisation is a continuous process. Several institutions, starting with the family into which a child is born, help in the process of socialisation. The sources where we learn gender-based behaviours are, family, friends, tribe, peer groups, society, religion, culture, traditions, schools, customs, proverbs, media, legal provisions, etc. There is no exact period or phase when we learn these behaviours, as socialisation is a life-long process. So strong is the influence of these images in our lives, that we perform the roles ascribed to us almost automatically. We ourselves begin to judge others by how accurately they perform these roles. We don’t realize the far-reaching consequences these prescribed roles and norms have on the ability of individuals to realize their full potential.
Activity 6: Gender stereotypes: Feminine and masculine qualities
Purpose To understand the stereotyping of female and male qualities and gender biases in them.
Instructions
1. Give a lesson: After understanding what gender means with the help of a few illustrations, it is important to introduce gender stereotypes. Gender stereotypes imply attributes that are associated with men and women. Therefore, these tend to determine how they might behave in various circumstances and in the relationships they enjoy with each other.
2. Say, “We discussed how men and women behave differently even when in the same situations. Why does this happen? Let us explore together the concept of gender stereotyping. Let us see what consequences such stereotypes have in the way we behave and the relations we have with others around us. We will be challenging these stereotypes. At the same time, we will try to understand what keeps them as important aspects of how we behave and react in a social context.”
3. Read the following story to the group:
| |
|Story of two frogs |
| |
|Two frogs were sleeping on the bed. Suddenly a loud noise from nearby woke them up. One of the frogs hid under the bed, while the other|
|one picked up a stick and ran towards the door. |
4. Divide the participants into small groups.
5. Ask the participants to identify which one of the two frogs is male and which one is female. Ask them to substantiate their choice with concrete examples of associative qualities assigned to men and women and how that influenced their decision.
6. Make two separate lists of female and male qualities expressed by the participants while identifying the sex of the frogs on a chart paper.
7. Encourage the participants to come up with all the qualities they associate with men and women.
Examples of qualities
|MALE |FEMALE |
|Adventurous |Weak |
|Aggressive |Shy |
|Strong |Gentle |
|Rough |Dependent |
|Impatient |Tolerant |
|Rational |Sensitive |
|Intelligent |Jealous |
|Self-centred/Egoistic |Caring |
|Satisfied |Forgiving |
|Authoritative |Emotional |
8. The group can look at the list and decide which of these qualities they think women and men are born with. Keep cancelling qualities that the group feels have been learned while growing and link the discussion to the socialisation process.
Facilitator’s Tips
To conclude the exercise, tell the participants that no one can say exactly which frog is female and which one is male. The frog that ran to the door with a stick could be either male or female. However, due to socialization one learns to associate ‘aggression’, bravery, and strength with males. One tends to think of females as weak and submissive, who are not capable of handling tough situations. The values, imbibed through socialization are so strongly embedded in the minds of people that these affect all aspects of their lives (personality, attitudes, self-identity, roles, responsibilities and behavior). These qualities, ascribed to men and women, are used as a basis for justifying discrimination between the two. Understanding that these qualities, which are thought to be ‘natural’, are actually social constructions, and therefore, are changeable, is important for the creation of an equitable society.
Activity 7: Consequences of male/female stereotypes
Purpose To increase awareness of female/male stereotypes. To initiate a discussion about some of the consequences of gender stereotyping.
Instructions
1. Divide the participants into small groups. Refer participants to D2 (Masculine boy) and give flipcharts, papers and pens to each group.
2. Ask the participants to read the description in the handout and discuss the following questions, and record their responses in two separate sheets:
Sheet 1: Label this sheet “Act-like-a-lady/Be a man”
• What comments do people make to indicate how you are supposed to “Act-like-a-lady”/”Be a man”?
• What messages does society convey to you if you meet these ‘expectations’?
Sheet 2: Consequences of stepping out of the prescribed norms
• What ‘names’ or ‘comments’ were made if you stepped out of these ascribed roles/images?
• What are some of the repercussions- both social and physical – against girls/boys who step out of their socially desirable roles?
3. Discuss the differences, if any, in the stereotypes and consequences of breaking the norms for girls and boys.
4. Discuss the following to the whole group (after all four groups have made their presentations):
• What messages do these convey to boys and girls?
• Are the consequences of these stereotypes fair?
• Can these be used as a basis for discrimination against women?
Facilitator’s Tips
Participants need to be encouraged to reflect and share their experiences from their childhood and adolescent when they were constantly being told how they should behave. Whether they were under pressure to perform these roles at all times, and were punished if they stepped out of these socially constructed roles. What comments were made when they tried to step out of these norms? It may be noted that many of these comments/names would refer to appearance or sexual behavior. Usually, this exercise is not difficult, since most individuals will have experienced restrictions on their behavior at many stages of their lives.
Activity 8: Pressures and privileges of being a man/woman
Purpose To enable participants to understand the pressures and privileges of ideals of masculinity and femininity.
Instructions
1. Refer participants to Handout D3 in the Participant Workbook and ask them to complete it individually, without consulting each other. Give them adequate time to think of their answers. They should not rush themselves.
2. Ask the participants to form mixed pairs, rather than staying with their own gender. Ask the pair to discuss their feelings and responses to each question. Which questions or statements were the most difficult to complete and why? Were some statements embarrassing? Why?
3. In the plenary, steer the group discussion around the following questions (while focusing separately on men and women):
• Do you feel your behavior is limited by society? How and when do you feel limited? Why do you feel limited?
• Do you feel there are certain ‘privileges’ that men enjoy due to the ideals of masculinity? What are these privileges, and do they have an adverse impact on women and even themselves?
• Do you feel there are certain ‘privileges’ women enjoy due to the ideals of femininity? What are these privileges? Do they have an adverse impact on men or even themselves?
• Are there some “macho” attitudes towards women that you would like to reject? Are there certain “girly” attitudes towards men that you would like to reject? What can you do to reject such attitudes?
4. Ask the group to reflect on what they have learned. What did they learn about themselves and others? Have they asked these questions before?
Facilitator’s Tips
This activity aims to make men and women aware of how society defines and limits their roles. It is not exclusively for men or women but both will benefit from participating in it. Remember, gender isn’t merely looking at women’s roles and subordination in society. Men too feel constricted by what society demands of them. This exercise is not meant to show men in a negative light but rather to understand how ideals of masculinity place pressures and privileges on both men and women. They ideals get ingrained into their psyche and personality. Their relationships with women and other men are thus influenced. It is important for men to see that a patriarchal system may provide them with status in some ways. But it takes away their freedom to define themselves and how they want to behave in society.
Activity 9: Self-disclosure of Male/Female Roles
Purpose To provide an opportunity to express some of our feelings about our own sex role assumptions.
Instructions
1. Provide a lesson by explaining that within any situation in life, there are advantages and disadvantages; now is the opportunity to express some of the feelings about being men and women and challenge these assumptions.
2. Distribute pieces of paper and pens to all participants.
3. Ask each person, individually, to complete the following sentences in separate pieces of paper:
“I’m glad I’m a man/woman because………….”
“Sometimes, I wish I were a man/woman because……….”
4. Ask the participants to discuss their responses in groups of three and identify differences and similarities.
5. Discuss the following with all participants:
• Was one statement more difficult to complete? If so, which one?
• What does it feel like to hear statements about your sex from the opposite sex?
• Did you want to challenge any of the statements?
• Are any of the statements completely free of stereotypes?
Facilitator’s Tips
We may not always like our gender-ascribed roles. Yet, in our daily lives, we consciously or unconsciously continue to perform these roles and responsibilities. We, ourselves, reinforce and perpetuate these stereotypes. Many of us may have challenged and even managed to change some of these roles. In the context of the larger society there still exists a rigid division of roles and responsibilities between two sexes. A process of larger change can be brought about only by facilitating conscious reflection on our role assumptions and stepping out of stereotypes.
Activity 10: The story of a queen and king
Purpose To examine the lives of men and women in a comparative way. To initiate a discussion on the possibility of reversal gender roles and qualities.
Instructions
1. Ask the group to form a circle. Explain to them that they are going to construct biographies of two imaginary people, first the queen, then the king.
2. Give a ball to someone in the group. Ask the person to throw it, quickly, to anyone in the group. The person catching the ball has to say something about the life of the queen, but by describing events (from birth to death) they associate with the king’s life. (Example: “The queen enjoyed war and the sight of blood.”)
3. The person then throws the ball to another participant, who has to say something about the king’s life, but describing something they associate with the queen. (Example: “The king always stayed behind the curtains in the inner quarters.”)
4. In this way, as the ball passes hands, a story is built, based on the life of the king and queen by reversing their roles and qualities.
5. Then, as a group, go through the life events of the king and queen and discuss how the exercise was easy or difficult. Ask the following questions:
• Did they find the exercise amusing? If so, why?
• What are the roles expected of men and women? Which of these are natural and which of these are learned? Why do we find it funny when these roles are reversed?
• Do the roles have to be so different? Why are they different?
Facilitator’s Tips
This exercise will reveal how difficult it is for some of the participants to reverse qualities and roles of men and women. Change in the existing roles is found to be ‘uncomfortable’ or funny. Yet, it is important to establish, that in reality, both men and women are found to have a combination of the so-called ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ qualities. However, these get ignored, ‘mocked at’ and discouraged so as to maintain the existing behavior patterns and structures.
Activity 11: Gender Discrimination: Unfolding personal stories and experiences of gender discrimination
Purpose To examine personal experiences of gender discrimination and discuss feelings associated with such experiences.
Instructions
1. Start a lesson by saying, “ We have learnt through previous exercises, how gender affects all aspects of our lives- our behavior, roles, our personality, and restricts our freedom of expression and choice. It is important to see how, in our own lives, we have experienced discrimination because of these restrictive gender roles. Personal reflections are usually more effective in understanding how the current system operates and is perpetuated. Differences between men and women are important and need to be respected. But when these are used as a basis for discrimination, they need to be challenged.”
2. Divide the participants into small groups, with not more than 5-6 members in each group.
3. Ask the participants to recall any one specific incident where they felt discriminated against because of their gender.
4. Then ask them to respond to the following questions:
✓ What was the act of discrimination?
✓ Who or what was responsible for the act of discrimination?
✓ What were your feelings?
✓ What action did you take/what was your response?
5. Encourage all group members to share their experiences. The responses of each of the group members are to be noted down. This is important.
6. Present these responses in the form of a wheel. See the following diagram to give you an idea of how to start.
7. After all the groups have made their presentations, discuss the following:
• What are the various forms in which gender-based discrimination manifests itself? Does gender discrimination reflect a ‘pattern’?
• Who was perpetrating discrimination in these stories?
• Are the feelings associated with discrimination similar for both men and women?
• Where did these discriminations occur? In the private sphere or public sphere?
Facilitator’s Tips
This exercise needs to be sensitively facilitated. You need to respect the fact that not all participants may want to relate their personal experiences of gender discrimination. Also, distinguish between difference and discrimination. What is discrimination for one, may be acceptable behavior for the other. This may be related to the different socio-cultural backgrounds of the participants. We should be aware that discrimination takes several forms such as: restrictive dress codes, mobility, access to and control over resources, freedom to pursue education, profession or partner of choice. Gender-based discrimination also results in a gross violation of the basic human right of living with dignity and security, in the form of physical abuse. You will have to explain that any act which violates the rights of individuals to enjoy equal opportunities, and realize their full human potential, amounts to discrimination.
Activity 12: Understanding gender-based violence
Purpose To enable the participants to recognize and understand gender-based violence as a severe form of gender discrimination.
Instructions
1. Ask the participants to speak out on whatever comes to their minds when they think of violence against women and violence against men.
2. Record their thoughts separately in two columns of a flip chart as shown below.
|Violence against men |Violence against women |
|Murder |Part of a woman’s daily life |
|Planned |Dowry |
|For a reason- example over property, land, money, women |Sexual harassment |
|Men perpetrating violence against men |Vulnerable |
|Beaten up by a brother for teasing his sister |War crimes against women |
|Harassed by police |Rape as a weapon of revenge |
|Politics |Sati |
| |Wife-battering |
| |Feticide/ Infanticide |
| |Child sexual abuse |
| |Must have asked for it |
3. After a comprehensive list is generated, discuss the following:
• What differences do you see in violence against men and women?
• What do you think are the causes of violence against women?
• Is there a pattern you see in the various forms of violence against women?
• What do you link this pattern to?
Facilitator’s Tips
Gender-based violence is the most severe form of gender discrimination. Gender-based violence is directly linked to patriarchy. It is about ‘power relations’ and has deep cultural and historical roots. Explain to the participants how violence against women can be justified and sanctioned by culture and religion. The subordinate position of women becomes the basis of all sorts of discrimination against them. They are considered to be ‘inferior’ to men, who then have to ensure that women remain confined to their traditional roles and position.
Activity 13: Myths about violence against women.
Purpose To clarify myths and doubts about gender-based violence.
Instructions
1. Divide participants into four groups.
2. Distribute cards with the following myths and related questions that are commonly held with regard to violence against women.
Myth 1: Domestic quarrels, fights and wife-beating are characteristics of the lives of uneducated and poor people and members of the lower social classes.
Questions:
• Is this true?
• What, according to you, are the underlying causes of violence against women?
Myth 2: Women provoke violence against themselves by behaving inappropriately, and not adhering to rules and norms of their cultures.
Questions:
• Are only women who challenge their stereotyped roles vulnerable to violence?
• What about sexual abuse against the girl child?
Myth 3: If women, who are victims of domestic violence, wanted to leave, they
could leave. If they stay, they must find some masochistic pleasure in the beatings.
Questions:
• Why do you think some women accept wife-battering as the right of their husbands?
• Why do you think women do not leave the family that perpetrates violence against them?
• What support mechanisms do you think women have, if they take the decision to leave their families?
Myth 4: Only men who suffer from some mental illness resort to violence against women.
Questions:
• What do you think are the reasons men resort to violence against women?
• Are they blamed or punished for it?
• What justifications do they give for their actions?
3. Ask the groups to share their reflections. Their presentations should bring what they consider as the facts behind these myths about violence against women.
4. Discuss with the large group:
• Is gender-based violence an important issue in communities where you work?
• What are the factors responsible for gender-based violence?
• How does it affect women physically, emotionally, economically, socially and psychologically?
• What can be done to prevent gender-based violence, and support its victims?
5. Discuss the definition of violence against women with the participants. Analyze their responses and see if they covered all the aspects.
Violence against women has been defined as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.” (UN Declaration on Elimination of Violence Against Women).
6. Distribute the handout on myths and facts about gender-based violence and discuss it with the participants.
7. Conclude the session by saying that violence against women cuts across all boundaries of caste, class, religion and culture, although the degree of its prevalence may vary. It directly affects the health and well-being of women. Therefore, all those working on health and other women’s issues must be sensitive to its existence.
Facilitator’s Tips
Gender-based violence has many forms: those which result in physical injury, and those which are relatively ‘hidden’ but have a damaging effect on the levels of self-esteem and dignity of women. This aspect needs to be highlighted and examined while the participants share their own reflections and perceptions on the issue.
Activity 14: Understanding discriminatory practices and its linkage to patriarchy
Purpose To enable participants to recognize and reflect on common practices that reflect the subordinate status of women in most societies and its linkage to patriarchy.
Instructions
1. Divide all the participants into small groups of 5-6 each. Each group discuss two of the following statements pre-written on cards:
|Sons take care of their parents in their old age |Only men can be priests |
|A child gets the father’s surname |It is a man’s duty to earn a living for the family |
|A woman leaves her parent’s house after marriage |A woman’s place is in the house |
|A woman is a woman’s worst enemy |Boys don’t cry |
2. Ask the groups to share their reflections with all the participants and, thereafter, discuss the following:
• What do these statements reflect about men/ women’s status?
▪ What is the role of different institutions in perpetuating these practices and beliefs?
▪ Who benefits from such a gender-based hierarchy in society?
• Do you think it reflects a fair society?
3. It is likely that some participants may talk about ‘patriarchy’ or ‘patriarchal mindsets’. Use the opportunity to have a detailed discussion on patriarchy. As a backup, be prepared to make a short presentation on Patriarchy.
Facilitator’s Tips
Patriarchy is defined as the control of the labor, reproductive power and sexuality of women for the benefit of men. Although patriarchy is a structure that operates through various institutions of society, the loose use of the term has led it to mean men oppressing/exploiting women. Patriarchy is a consequence of and contribution to how gender has been employed to perpetuate and maintain social systems. It is a social system that maintains and perpetuates a male-dominated society, where men benefit from a higher status and greater power in most aspects of life. They are the ones who carry on the family name, inherit property and take decisions. Patriarchy prescribes roles to men and women. These roles prescribed to men and women are ideals of a patriarchal society, and not created by their ‘biology’.
Activity 15: Gendered Institutions and Structures: Role of traditional and modern media
Purpose To enable participants to reflect on the positive and negative images created and portrayed by traditional and modern songs, proverbs, sayings, stories, new movies and advertisements in visual and print media.
Instructions
1. Divide the participants into 5 small groups.
2. Ask each group to focus on one of the following: Folk songs, stories and proverbs; movie-themes, dialogues and songs, popular television serials; advertisements; and newspaper stories. Each group compiles examples, which either reinforce the existing roles and images or create new images of men/women.
3. Encourage the participants to be creative in their presentations.
4. Discuss in the whole group
▪ What messages do these examples give about the male and female roles?
▪ Which of these are positive for women and men? Which are negative? Why?
▪ Do any of them specifically portray a preference for boys and/or a more restricted or lesser role for women?
▪ How do they affect the overall development of women and men in society?
Facilitator’s Tips
Many songs, proverbs, advertisements, movies and serials etc. portray negative and derogatory images of women. We usually accept them as part of normal life and laugh with them as evidence of our sense of humor. In some cases we even praise them for their portrayal of women’s reality. We don’t bother to reflect deeper to analyze its effects on women’s position, confidence and image in society. Women who challenge these stereotypes are often ridiculed and labeled as “western feminists”. All these media, especially visual media that reach our homes can play a powerful role to reinforce or to transform societies. They change the attitudes and behaviors of future generations.
Example: A current television advertisement of the pain relieving ointment “Moov” can be used to effectively analyze the role of media in reinforcing the gender division of roles. “Moov” shows a typical situation in a family where the housewife is being asked to do several things by its members at the same time. It is only when the women cries out in great pain that the family members take her seriously. Even then the solution to her pain and workload is that ointment. The real issue of sharing the household work or giving support does not enter the minds or discussions of family members.
Activity 16: Role of Culture and Religion
Purpose To examine the social, cultural and religious practices and their impact on gender constructions.
Instructions
1. Ask the whole group to take a minute each and reflect on some cultural and religious practices in their communities and families that are different for men and women.
2. Make two columns on a flipchart sheet: one for women and another for men.
3. Ask participants to help you prepare a list of common practices that have negative implications for men and women.
Examples may include:
|Women |Men |
|Observe a fast for long life for husbands (karvachauth) |Play an important role in all religious ceremonies as heads of their |
|Wear ‘sindoor’, bangles, toe-rings as symbols of marriage |families |
|Forced to shave their head, wear white on becoming widows and not |Perform ‘last rites’ in times of death of parents and other family |
|allowed to remarry |members |
|Commit ‘sati’ after the death of husband |As fathers, they perform the ‘kanya dan’, i.e. give away their |
| |daughters in marriage |
4. After listing out these practices, discuss the following:
• Who is imposing these practices?
• Why is the practice being imposed? (Example: for ‘protection’ of women, etc.)
• Who is benefiting from these practices?
• Who is being harmed by these practices?
• Why do people who ‘lose’ from these practices continue to perform them?
• What has changed over the years? What has brought about those changes?
5. Prepare a similar list of practices that are positive for men and women.
6. Discuss with the group:
• What influence do these practices have on the lives of men and women?
• How can these practices be used in improving the current status of women?
Facilitator’s Tips
Often culture and religion determine how men and women are positioned in society. It defines the relation between the two, and justifies the subordinate position of women in society. A woman’s identity is derived from the relationship she shares with a man- first her father, then her husband. However, it is of the utmost importance that sensitivity to the religion and culture of participants is maintained. The discussion should be non-threatening for all participants. They should analyze the discussion in order to understand how gender inequities are created and maintained. However, the need to question and challenge these practices and norms that deprive men and women of their basic rights and freedoms, must be reiterated.
Also, explain to them that it is important to recognize the positive aspects of culture and religion. These can be effective to enhance the status of women in society, and refute the commonly held beliefs that women are destined to be subordinate to men.
Activity 17: Role of formal educational, political, economic and development institutions
Purpose To help participants analyze how education, economy and politics can contribute to perpetuating gender stereotypes and gender discrimination.
Instructions
1. Divide participants into four groups.
2. Refer participants to handouts F.3.1-4 in Participant Workbook on four different case studies to each group.
3. Ask each group to identify:
• The main gender issues in the case studies.
• Recognize the Institutions responsible for creating these issues.
• Analyze the behavior of other actors in the stories
4. After the groups have made their presentations, discuss the following:
• What are the causes of the issues that emerge out of this exercise?
• Who is responsible for them?
• In all the cases, why do you think women are worse off than men?
• Do men have a role to play?
Facilitator’s Tips
In the present context of patriarchal hegemony, our upbringing provides more favorable opportunities to men within or outside home. Women, with same qualifications, get a lower position in the hierarchy of the employing institutions. Men, in most of the work places, generally hold position of power and authority. Women are offered less paid jobs. Responsibilities of domestic work, child bearing and rearing are considered women’s responsibilities. Men enjoy certain privileges within their current gender roles. Women, on the other hand, are discriminated and oppressed. They are limited by their narrowly defined gender roles.
Activity 18: Changing gender constructs: Changing gender stereotypes and roles
Purpose To reinforce the fact that gender is a social construction that can be changed by learning from one’s own and others’ personal experiences.
Instructions
1. Provide a lesson by saying, “We have seen how gender affects all aspects of our lives, and how it narrowly and rigidly defines gender roles and responsibilities. Gender construction has deep, historical origins and is manifested and reinforced by multiple institutions and agencies. Yet, we know from our experiences that gender construction is changeable. We ourselves have challenged gender rigidities in our homes, in our workplace, consciously or unconsciously. The following exercises are an effort to highlight some positive experiences and learnings in changing the gender construction.”
2. Divide the participants into small groups and ask them to reflect on the lives of their grandmothers, mothers, and their own.
3. Ask them to focus on the following questions:
• Have they observed any changes between the roles their grandmothers played, and their mothers? What restrictions have stayed the same?
• What changes do the participants see in their own lives with reference to the conditions faced by their grandmothers and mothers?
• How have these changes been possible? What were the influencing factors?
Facilitator’s Tips
This exercise establishes the fact that gender is a social construction, which can and does change over time. It is a long and gradual process. Changes in gender construction result from personal and collective empowerment of women through greater awareness, education, economic empowerment accompanied by a larger movement to create the political will to transform structures and institutions that control resources and decision-making processes.
Activity 19: Personal experiences of self-assertion
Purpose To reflect on personal stories and experiences of self-assertion.
Instructions
1. Provide a lesson by saying, “This exercise is a continuation of the previous one. However, this exercise may help to highlight some specific actions that can be effective in tackling gender stereotypes and roles. It will also help in understanding what external factors can facilitate this change.”
1. Ask the participants to work in groups of five.
2. Ask them to try and recall one experience where they asserted themselves or challenged a specific gender stereotype. To guide them to unfold their story, ask them the following questions:
• What was the act against which you asserted yourself?
• Where were you? (Private sphere or public sphere)
• What made you react like this?
• Did you need anyone’s support? Who supported you?
• How did you feel before, during and after this incident?
• Did this require you to refuse or challenge any of your traditional gender role or stereotype? If so, which ones were these?
• Are there other gender roles that were also affected as a result of your action?
• How did others- family, friends, colleagues, react? Did they support you?
• What bearing does this act have on your current life?
If there is time, the participants can try and enact their experiences.
3. Collectively try and summarize the experiences shared at the end of the session.
Facilitator’s Tips
Some participants may feel very good or empowered after the exercise. The exercise can also provide further motivation for the participants to believe that each one of them can bring about a change.
Activity 20: The wheel of equality
Purpose To enable participants to share their perceptions of gender equality and explain how it is a condition that is beneficial to both women and men.
Instructions
1. Provide a lesson by saying, “Changing gender roles can be a difficult and long-term process. There is bound to be resistance to such a change, by both men and women. It is important for us, therefore, to try and establish what we mean by gender equity and how gender equity would benefit both men and women. This exercise attempts to do that.”
1. Brainstorm as a large group on conditions they think would symbolize an equitable society. They should begin their sentence with ‘if’ and end it with “then it would be an equitable society”.
For example:
“If women have equal share of property, then the society would be equitable.”
“If men were less burdened to be primary bread winners then…”
“If a girl child gets equal health care and nutrition, then…”
2. Divide the participants into groups of five.
3. Each group chooses at least two statements, and begins with these conditions in the centre and then moves on to draw up a wheel that captures the positive effects/benefits of the statement of equity for:
• Women
• Children
• Men
• Community/ society at large
4. The key learnings from the wheels of equality, can be summarized as follows:
• Are you surprised by the positive effects of equity for both men and women?
• Could there be negative/undesirable effects? What are these?
• How can the undesirable effects be minimized and by whom?
Facilitator’s Tips
This exercise ends on a positive note by encouraging reflections of participants on how they think gender equity is beneficial for both women and men. This dispels the fear that some male participants may have about men having to give up certain privileges without any benefit. While men may feel like they are the “losers” in the short-run, this exercise encourages them to think of the long-term benefits for themselves and the society. It is also important for many women who feel that in their struggle for gender equity, they do not want to alienate their male partners. They would rather join hands with them and seek a more gender-just and equitable society.
-----------------------
TIME
30 Min
TIME
1hr
TIME
45 MIn
TIME
30-45 Min
Illustration:
Angry, humiliated, hurt, deceived
Eg: Forced to marry, not allowed to become a pilot, etc
Wheel of discrimination
Reconciled, fought, ran away
Father, mother, neighbour, etc
Illustration
“If women have equal share to property, then…
They will be more secure in times of crises
Both children will have a more secure future
Wheel of equality
Men will feel less burdened
The community will have less conflicts over property
TIME
10 Min
TIME
20 Min
Goals:
• Promote a better understanding of gender within the organization;
• Build skills of participants in incorporating gender in programming issues and our organizational culture.
TIME
30min
TIME
1hr
TIME
1hr
TIME
1hr
TIME
1 Hr
TIME
30 Min
TIME
1hr
TIME
1hr
TIME
45 MIn
TIME
1hr
TIME
1hr
TIME
30min
TIME
30 MIn
TIME
1hr
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